Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

Mining of the 2.5-kilometer (1.6-mile) tunnel for the Confederation Line Light Rail Transit project in Ottawa, ON, Canada, is proceeding on time and on budget with 10 percent of the tunnel excavation now complete.

Houston Metro's new East End (Green) Line tracks have been undergoing tests by dragging a light-rail vehicle up and down the track with a diesel-powered-shuttle, and crews have been performing live-wiring testing. The test covers 2.3 miles of the 3.3-mile tracks.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Board of Directors awarded a $25.6-million design/build contract to F. H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen and Associates, LLC, for the rehabilitation of the Damen, Western and California stations to improve and upgrade the O'Hare branch of the Blue Line.

The Port of Quincy in the state of Washington is partnering with the Great Northern Corridor Coalition to promote regional cooperation, planning and shared project implementation to improve the movement of rail freight along the Great Northern Corridor.